The Decision by Sage

The Decision by Sage - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

I stood in the same spot for three hours. At least, it felt that way. My feet were almost rooted to the ground. I slowly pulled them up, one at a time, and glided my hand across the bottom of my shoes. Three numbers loomed from the wall: one, four, nine. The sound of four steps crawled up to my ear, followed by a loud SMACK.

My teammate served, and as the volleyball ricocheted off our opponent's arms, cheers echoed throughout the gym. A blur of blue jerseys surrounded me as our players rushed from the sidelines. The court turned into a mosh pit as everyone jumped and yelled. I glanced to the side and saw my coach's embrace, taking in the triumph of our state tournament victory.

We'd gotten crushed by this team in pre-season, and we wanted to make sure it wouldn't happen again. As the number turned from 14 to 15 for the win, I realized all the sweat, sprints, long practices, and bruised knees were worth it. We finally became the team we dreamed of. I will carry these memories with me once my athletic career has ended. Well, it's not ending, but it is transitioning. But to get to that end, I have to start at the beginning.

My love of sports began the first time I kicked a soccer ball. I remember my hair in pigtails and pink cleats on my feet. As I got older, I French braided my hair down the middle and pretended I was Alex Morgan. I dreamed of playing with her on the US National team. Soccer was my first true love. I carried a ball wherever I went, and you could hardly walk through my house without tripping on a pair of cleats. Sure, I flirted with softball for four years, basketball for six, lacrosse for a day, and even gymnastics for a bit. But soccer was my one constant.

But when I found volleyball, I traded cleats for indoor shoes and shin guards for knee pads. Leaving behind 11 years of soccer was incredibly difficult because I wasn't 100 percent sure I was making the right decision. But I gave up my old love for a new one.

I worked my way onto top-level club teams. I spent hours in private lessons and gym workouts. I wanted to be the best. I didn't know I'd also meet some of my best friends through the sport. I learned how to be a good and supportive teammate on the court or the bench, whether we won or lost. I dealt with injuries, adversity, and mental pressure.

Sports have been a massive part of my life. As I take the next big step into college, I want to carry sports with me - but instead of the field or gym, I want to take my passion to the classroom. I plan on studying kinesiology or exercise science to become an athletic trainer. I will bring my determination, ability to perform under pressure, and communication skills learned throughout my playing days with me. However, I need to gain new knowledge and skills taught through my major to learn what it takes to help athletes overcome injuries and reach their full potential.

I know the joy I got from playing sports, so I want to help athletes experience what I felt while staying healthy and helping them return to what they love. It is important for me to see an athlete at their all-time low rise above the challenges they encounter. Seeing the positive outcome of helping an athlete return to play the game they are devoted to will undoubtedly be as thrilling as beating that one team, and it's something I want to be part of.